


Hidden Personality

by RyuRan2200



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-18
Updated: 2021-03-18
Packaged: 2021-03-27 20:22:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30128331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RyuRan2200/pseuds/RyuRan2200
Summary: When Astral is kidnapped his hidden persona decides to come out and play. But will it help Astral escape, or does it have a hidden agenda of its own?
Kudos: 1





	1. From Key to City

**Author's Note:**

> The story takes place before, during and after episodes 101 & 102

"Are you going to make a move of what Astral?" Dark Mist asks his friend.

"I'll pass, you can go." Astral replies.

When Dark Mist goes to draw a card from his deck he and Astral become blinded by a white light. When the light fades they're no long in the airship where they were dueling just moments ago.

"What in the world just happened?" Dark Mist asks confused.

"I'm not sure, but somehow we've been taken to the city." Astral replies.

"I'm gonna be late!" A boy cries as he runs past them from the opposite side of the street.

Astral and Dark Mist look to see who said this only to find Yuma racing down the sidewalk trying to get to school as quickly as he can. His own Astral following close behind him.

"We're not at home anymore." Astral says.

Let's follow Yuma to school and when he's alone with his friends we confront him. We'll need to stay with someone until we can find a way back to our own world." Dark Mist replies as he watches Yuma race off to school in the distance.

Both Astral and Dark Mist follow Yuma to school and around lunch time is when he and his friends are up on the school's roof eating lunch.

"Hello Yuma." Dark Mist says to get the groups' attention as he appears before them. He sits in front of a water tank looking down at the high schoolers.

"What are you doing here?!" Yuma says as he quickly gets on his feet, not at all happy to see him.

"I've come here seeking your help, me and my partner need a place to stay until we can get back to where we belong."

"Partner?" Astral questions as he floats slightly above the group of kids.

Suddenly a white aura appears next to Dark Mist then forms into his Astral.

"That would be me." Astral says, sitting rather close to Dark Mist.

Yuma and Astral look at him in shock, they're speechless as they watch this new Astral lay his head against Dark Mist's shoulder.

"What have you done to him Number 96?" Astral asks rather calmly.

"I assure you, he hasn't done anything to me. We live as roommates in the key, we were dueling to pass the time when we were suddenly blinded by a white light that brought us here." The "new" Astral says, now hugging Dark Mist's arm slightly.

"We can understand that you're confused and so are we, but we're not from here. We come from a different world with our own versions of you and your friends." Dark Mist pipes up, not at all bothered that Astral is hugging his arm.

"Well guys what do you say, do we help them?" Yuma turns to look at his group of friends.

"How do we know they're not trying to go after the Numbers." Shark says untrusting of them.

"For starters I have all the Numbers for my world. And that also means that I have all of my memories back as well, so why would I need yours?" Astral counters Shark statement.

"And I have no reason to take them since I have no desire to destroy anything." Dark Mist says rather bored. "And beside I'm actually good friends with Number 39."

Yuma and Astral look at him as if he's got five heads because of the statement he just made.

"They can't be evil if the two of them are just sitting here talking to us. I mean they could be causing trouble around the city instead of being here." Tori says.

"I say we help them find their way back home." Cathy chimes up

"Tori does have on point on that." Bronk chimes in.

Yuma turns to look at his partner to see what he has to say.

"I don't feel any evil intentions coming from them but that doesn't mean they can be trusted."

"We can lead you to the Mythyrian Numbers and help against the Barians." Astral says, as he moves from laying his head on Dark Mist's shoulder to his lap.

"We could always use more help against them." Astral says to Yuma and the gang.

"Then it's settled, you two can come live we me." Yuma says

"I'd keep a watchful eye over them Yuma." Shark says.

"I assure you Shark there's no need to worry about Yuma's safety around us." Astral says as he yawns, feeling tired.

"Speaking of us," Dark Mist says to get everyone's attention. "So no one gets confused on which Astral is which-"

"You can just call me Dicoyua." Astral says interrupting what Dark Mist was saying, he looks half asleep with his head sitting in Dark Mist's lap.

"And I prefer to be called Dark Mist instead of 96." Dark Mist says as if he wasn't interrupted at all by Astral.

Yuma and the others just nod at this, when lunch is over they return to their classrooms.


	2. Kidnapped

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So no one gets confused here's a small little guide between the Astrals and the 96s  
> Dicoyua = Alternate Astral  
> Dark Mist = Alternate Version  
> Number 96 = Anime Version

Over the next few days, Dicoyua and Dark Mist explained to Yuma and the gang about the Mythyrian Numbers. But left out their connection to the Barian Emperors and Don Thousand, wanting them to figure that out on their own. Getting the first Number wasn't to difficult but the second Number however wasn't so easy.

"Well this is unexpected surprise, I wasn't expecting to see a copy of myself here." Number 96 says smirking at Dark Mist.

"Hand over the Number." Dark Mist says.

"You're going to have to duel me for it."

"Find by me."

The two 96s begin their duel with almost identical decks, though Dark Mist had on purposely mixed some of Dicoyua's cards with his own. As the duel unfolded Number 96 jabs at both his alternate version and Astral for putting their hopes in the hands of a human.

"You two put your hopes in the wrong place, you put your hopes in the hands of a human who swears he'll be your friend til the end. But the second he thinks it will do him some good, he'll lie to you, betray you." Number 96 says to both his alternate version and to his Astral.

'How does he know about that betrayal? Unless... of course, Vector told what happened.' Dark Mist thinks to himself.

Yuma who's stuck up on a high pedestal groans at remembering how he was tricked into hurting his best friend by Vector. Even though Dicoyua doesn't show it he remembers that time and old memories are stirred up like bad oysters.

'I still wish that betrayal never happened.' Dicoyua thinks to himself.

Dicoyua doesn't realize it yet but his old stirred up memories have gotten some else's attention besides his own.

'What is this I feel? Something seems to have stirred within that other Astral, I wonder...' Number 96 thinks to himself before bringing his focus back to the duel at hand.

As the duel drags on whatever stirred up in Dicoyua is slowly waking up more and more as time passes. Dark Mist has chosen not to use his Chaos Number and has opted to use Dicoyua's Number instead. Eventually the duel ends in a draw, with both Dark Storm and Utopia Ray destroying each other. But it wasn't a complete and total loss for Number 96 who has gained a Chaos form.

'My my, whatever has stirred within Astral is very dark and powerful. Might as well take it for myself since he won't put it to good use.' Number 96 thinks as he uses his new found abilities to lock Dicoyua in a red crystal.

Dicoyua yelp out of surprise as the crystal encases him.

"Hey let me out of here!" Dicoyua yells and bangs on the crystal with his feats trying to brake it.

"Dicoyua!" Dark Mist cries, he hurries to his side intending to brake the crystal to get him out.

"I don't think so!" Number 96 says and wave his hand send a blast of Chaos energy that hits Dark Mist.

Dark Mist lets out a cry of pain as he's hit with the blast, Yuma and Astral come to his aid.

"What do you want with Dicoyua?!" Yuma shouts.

"Your little friend here has some kind of dark power that I intend to claim for myself."

"I don't know what you're talking about, I don't have any kind of power like that!" Dicoyua interrupts, feeling a bit dizzy from the Chaos that the crystal is made out of.

"While see about that Astral." Number 96 says with a smirk.

With that he turns and leaves through a portal with Vector following close beside him.

"N-no!" Dark Mist cries as he watches the crystal goes through the portal. He tries to follow but his injuries keep him from doing so along with Yuma and Astral holding him back.

"What are you doing? you can follow them you're hurt." Yuma says as he holds Dark Mist back.

"I have to save him Yuma!" Dark Mist pulls forward trying to get out of Yuma's grip.

"You can't go in your current condition they'll only hurt you more." Astral says helping Yuma to hold him back.

Number 96 and Vector come to a secluded part of the palace in Barian World. Astral seems to be okay if not a little dizzy still from the crystal.

"I don't see how Astral has any power in him let lone dark power." Vector says looking over Astral.

"Oh he has power, I can sense a dark presence attached to him. Now what that is and where it came from I have no clue, but I'm use Astral does.

"You sure? Astral didn't seem to know what you were talking about when you first mentioned it."

"Then he's trying to play the fool, he knows and one way or another we'll make him talk."

Astral watches Number 96 and Vector talk amongst themselves, still not sure what Number 96 is talking about.


	3. A Voice From Within

'I have to find a way to get out of here, the Chaos is making me feel dizzy and sick.' Astral thinks to himself still continuing to watch his captors talk.

"Oh come now Astral, have you forgotten about me already?" A voice says from within Astral's mind that only he can hear.

"Oh no, anything but you." Astral whispers.

His whisper doesn't fall on deft ears however, Number 96 hears him and turn his head to look at him. Astral appears to be scared of something and is every so slight shaking.

"Did you say something Astral?" Number 96 asks.

"Ah I see that you do still remember me." The voice says in a somewhat high pitched happy tone.

"All to well unfortunately." Astral whispers back, he's completely forgotten that Number 96 and Vector are right in front of him.

Vector and Number 96 both look at each other, a bit freaked out since they can't tell what or who Astral is talking to.

"Think this has something to do what that dark presents you've been feeling?" Vector whispers to 96

"I don't know but let's find out." He replies.

"I can help you get out of this and you know it, all you have to do is give me control." The voice says with a purr.

Before Astral can respond 96 taps on the crystal to get Astral's attention. Astral looks over to 96 still looking a bit shaken.

"Who or what are you talking to?" 96 demands.

Astral remains silent, he doesn't want either of them to know what's going on in his head.

"What's the matter Astral, cat got your tongue?" Vector taunts.

Again Astral remains silent but then suddenly shifts uncomfortably and looks away from them. Astral can feel the voice moving around in his subconscious as if it has a body of its own within his mind.

'This doesn't make sense, it feels as if Astral has an opposing personality within him. Or has the power taken on a form of its own and it appear as something else?' 96 asks himself as he watches Astral shift around in the crystal.


	4. The Voice Revealed

"Come now Astral you can't hold me back forever, and right now you need me. You can't get out of this mess without my help."

"I don't need your help!" Astral snaps at the voice.

This makes Vector and 96 jump from Astral's sudden outburst.

"Well if you won't talk then we're just going to have to make you." 96 says and holds up his hand which takes on a red glow.

The crystal starts to glow which increases the amount of Chaos within, Astral let's out a small painful yelp as he's shocked.

"Now that we have your attention are you going to tell us who you're talking to?" Vector asks.

"It's none of your business." Astral snaps back.

"Oh well looks like someone's got an attitude." Vector chimes up.

Back with Yuma and the gang, they meet up with Kite and explain the situation at hand as well as get Dark Mist's injuries taken care of though he's far from healed. Everyone throws out suggestions on where Number 96 could of taken Astral to and they all draw the some conclusion, Barain World.

To try and get Astral to talk 96 repeatedly shocks him with Chaos, which makes Astral feel weak and sick. He leans against the back of the crystal trying not to pay any attention to the voice in his head. It continuously tells him to let it have control and that it will save him from the Chaos that's weakening him.

"This guy's a pain." 96 mutters and puts his hand through the crystal, laying it on Astral's chest.

Astral cries out in pain as 96 shocks him directly with his power, this shock brakes the crystal. Astral falls to his knees holding his chest in pain.

"You can't last much longer Astral, why do you still continue to hold me back from helping you?" The voice asks with mock concern.

"I'll never let you take control of me again." Astral whispers through clenched teeth.

"Then the only thing you can do is suffer." The voice says and seems to go silent.

But Astral knows better, he can feel it. His metal reserves are be chipped away ever so slowly by the voice, it desperately wants out and it's willing to weaken him by any means necessary to do so. 96 feed up with Astral refusing to talk lays his hand on Astral's forehead and shocks him with a much stronger volt of Chaos. Astral screams in pain and fall on his back, for a moment he lays there rubbing his temples to ease the pain that has ripped through his head and surgeries down to his body. Slowly he gets back on his knees, his mental defenses have taken a serious hit from the Chaos and this makes things all the more easier for the voice.

"Do you feel it Astral, the Chaos coursing through you? Draining away the strength from your very being." The voice asks maliciously happy.

"As long as I have any strength, no matter how small it is I won't give into you." Astral whispers trying to reinforce the barriers he put up to keep the voice at bay.

"Are you going to talk or do you want to get shocked again?" 96 asks, "I do so enjoy your screams of pain. He smirks.

Yuma and the others finally arrived in Barian World and begin their search for Astral. But so far they haven't found any trace of him nor have they seen Vector and Number 96. The other Barian Emperors spot them but watch them from afar.

With Astral trying to rebuild his mental defenses he doesn't answer 96 which prompts him to shock Astral again. He cries out in pain as the Chaos shreds through the barriers he had rebuilt, the voice seizes its opportunity and pulls Astral down into the darkness of his unconscious mind.

"No I won't let you take control of me!" Astral cries out holding his head trying to fight back again the voice's control.

Vector and 96 can only watch Astral struggle against an unseen force.

"What's happening to him?" Vector asks a bit frightened.

"Apparently there's another personality within that's trying to take control or it's the dark power that he's scared to use." 96 replies.

"You're to weak to hold me back any longer Astral!" The voice screams and uses all of its will to force Astral down.

"No!" Astral screams then his arms suddenly drop to his side, his head down so his face can't be seen. His skin slowly starts to change to a blackish purple color and his whiteish blue ora turns to a fiery mix of red, yellow, orange and purple.

Vector and 96 watch the change in Astral with slight fear and fascination. Dark Mist gets a sudden sinking feeling in his gut and brakes off from the group to go check around in the palace. He picks up on a dark presence that leads him into some kind of throne room. Dark Mist peeks in to see the now changed Astral lifting his head up to show hid face. Half of it has turned to a blackish purple color and his eyes have lost their light colors, being replaced with a dark white right eye and a dark muddy gold left one.

"Oh no." Dark Mist whispers and shivers at the site before him.

The changed Astral grins evilly and looks around the room, spotting someone peeking behind the door. He has a good feeling on who it is.

"It's been awhile Dark Mist, and it's so nice to see you again." He says in a menacingly sweet voice.


	5. New Persona and Past Betrayal

Number 96 and Vector turn to the door of the throne room. Dark Mist doesn't even bother to hide and pushes on the door.

"How did you brake free of your seal?" Dark Mist hisses angrily.

"Come now Dark Mist, you should know that Astral's emotions are unstable even at the best of times. But add in a few Chaos shocks from this one here," The evil gestures over to Number 96. "And the lure to escape the pain becomes irresistible."

"This is all your fault." Dark Mist glares over at 96.

"You fail to see what you have in front of you, a perfect means of destruction." 96 smiles evilly. "With his help we can destroy this pathetic little world."

"There's more to him then meets the eye." Dark Mist says turning his glare back at evil controlling his dear friend.

"You have nothing to fear Dark Mist, Astral is in safe hands with me." The evil says with fake care.

"Lier, I know your twisted little games Dark. And I won't let you hurt Astral anymore then you already have." Dark Mist hisses at him.

Just as Dark Mist says this Yuma and the gang show up.

"Dark Mist have you found-!" Yuma asks but his words are cut off when he sees what Astral has become.

"What have they done to him?" Astral asks.

"They weakened the seal that was kept on Dicoyua's darker half enough to the point that it was able to brake free. If you remember your duel against Vector at Sargasso, then you remember this darkness that took over you. This is that same darkness only it's taken on a will of its own." Dark Mist explains.

"Oh I remember now." Vector mumbles to himself.

"Tell me Astral, do you still have any trust left in Yuma?" Dark says with a smirk getting everyone's attention.

"Whatever happened in the past we have moved forward from, I know what happened wasn't Yuma's fault. He was manipulate by Vector into believing his lies." Astral replies.

"Is that what you keep telling yourself Astral? He used Barian cards and instead of tell you where he got them from, he lied to you because his dear friend Ray told him not to." Dark says calmly and with a smirk plastered on his lips.

"But you seem to fail on telling everyone else that it was because Yuma was scared of losing Astral to begin with. Vector told him that if he said anything that Astral's safety would be jeopardy." Dark Mist says almost shouting into the conversation.

"Yuma, is this true? Were you scared of losing me?" Astral asks turning to his partner.

Yuma looks down almost ashamed to admit it, "Yes it's true, but you kept on getting hurt with every duel we had against the Barains. I just wanted you to be okay."

"You're just using that excuse for his safety as a means to lie and betray him." Dark counters. "I on the other hand, would never lie to you Astral. For I have no reason to, Yuma is only looking out for himself. The second he thinks it will do him some good he'll lie and betray you again to get ahead in the game."

"I refuse to believe in your lies, I know Yuma would never hurt me on purpose despite what has already happened." Astral says giving a soft smile down at his partner.

"Find have it your way then Astral. I'll just have to make the right choice for you." Dark says and hold out his hand, making a small dark blue and black energy ball in it.

"Yuma look out!" Dark Mist says and pushes Yuma out of the way as Dark shoots the energy toward him.

Yuma lands on his back a few feet from where he was just standing but Dark Mist isn't so luck. He's hit directly in the chest by the blast and is pushed back into Yuma's friends who immediately come to his aid.

"Dark Mist are you alright?!" Tori says while trying to help him back on his feet.

"I-I'm fine." He says a he staggers back to his feet.

Dark Mist's chest has been severely burned by the blast and he's having some trouble breathing.

"I should of made the blast stronger." Dark says with a laugh at Dark Mist's condition.


	6. Running Out of Time

"No matter what you do to me you'll never stop me from saving Astral!" Dark Mist shouts at Dark.

"You'll never get him back and I'll make sure of it." Dark says, his voice dropping with malicious intent.

Within Astral is slowly coming to in his subconscious. His limbs are being held against some kind wall by an unseen force. He's in a dark space void of any light.

"Hello, is there anyone here?" Astral calls out, his voice echoing in the space. But he gets no reply.

"Where am I and how did I get here?" He asks himself and tries to remember what happened before be lost consciousness.

Images flash before his eyes of being encased in crystal, then being shocked painfully with Chaos and Dark's voice echoing in his ears demanding to be let out.

"No Dark Mist! I have to get out of here or he'll get hurt!" Astral says worried for his partner's safety.

But before he can make an attempt to brake free he feels weak and tired.

"I feel so tried." He mumbles out then looks down at his body.

Ever so slowly parts of his body are turning dark blue in color then fading away, along with his energy.

"No... this can't be." Astral says weakly.

The space suddenly erupts with laughter as Dark's voice echoes out,

"I'm so glade you're awake Astral, now I can tell you that the tables have turned. You're fading away into nothing while my power and control over your mind and body grows. Soon you'll be nothing more then a distant memory to me, and I'll be the only one left in this body."

"You won't get away with this Dark, I'll find a way to take back control of what's mine!" Astral yells.

The echoing laugher returns, "I don't see how you plan on stopping me when you barely have the energy to keep your eyes open."

"Where there's a will there's a way Dark."

Dark laughs again, "Tick-tock Astral, the clock is running out of time."

With that the space goes silent again.

"He won't get away with this." Astral whispers and uses every ounce of strength he can spare to try and reach Dark Mist.

While Dark was talking to Astral, Number 96 and Vector challenged Astral and Yuma to a double duel for the Numbers. The duel was heated and close but Yuma and Astral managed to win by the skin of their teeth.

"Dark Mist, Dark Mist, can you hear me?" Astral's voice echos.

Dark Mist glances around the room looking for Astral's voice but doesn't see him, all he sees is Dark.

"Dark Mist please, answer me." Astral begs out, his voice sounding much weaker now.

'Astral, where are you? I can hear you but I can't see you.' Dark Mist says mentally.

"I've been locked away in my subconscious mind by Dark. Listen there's not much time. I'm fading and soon Dark will be the only one left within, with each passing minute my energy is drained away. It's a struggle just to maintain talking to you but you have a chance, a chance to fix this before time runs out. You have to cause some kind of internal shock to switch control between us, once time runs out it will be to late. I'm counting on you Dark Mist, I know you'll save me." Astral's voice fades away and he passes out within. Trying to convince with little energy he has left.

The words "save me" still echo in Dark Mist's mind long after Astral's voice has faced, but he can't afford to get to physically close to Dark to cause an internal shock himself.

"Unless..." A small grin spreads across Dark Mist's face.

"You are you smiling at?" Dark growls at him.

"You and Astral share one fatal flaw Dark." Dark Mist says and makes a clear container with a purple glowing stone appear in his hands.

Dark back away seeming to be afraid of what Dark Mist has in his hands.

"Damn it!" Dark mutters under his breath.

"You and I both know you can't come near this."

"But are you willing to hurt Astral in the process, you know what that will do to him if that comes in contact with his skin don't you?"

"Of course I do, but if I have to hurt him to save him from you then I'm will to inflict a little pain to him."


	7. Race Against The Clock

"Are you really sure you can hurt him, your dearest friend?" Dark smirks feeling that Dark Mist is bluffing.

'I'm sorry Astral, I really don't want to do this but it's the only way to get you back.' Dark Mist mentally says hoping Astral can hear him. "I'll free him no matter what I have to do." He replies verbally so everyone can hear him.

He puts his hand on the container lid and opens it, taking out the stone. Dark seems to flinch as the stone is taken out of its protective container.

'No, I can feel my hold over Astral is slowly slipping!' Dark yells internally.

Small shock waves rip through Astral's mind causing him to whimper in pain but it's not enough to set him free.

"It's only delaying the inevitable... the shock waves aren't strong enough to stop the merge from happening." Astral says to himself.

"Release him!" Dark Mist demands.

"Never!" Dark hisses in pain.

Dark Mist moves closer to Dark while Dark moves away from him.

"I will get you to release him Dark no matter what it takes."

"If only you could hear Astral's whimpers of pain, the slow suffering you're putting him through to try and save him."

This seems to cause Dark Mist to falter in coming closer to Dark with the stone.

"The closer you get to me the louder his whimpers become, do you really want to make Astral suffer like this?"

"Don't listen to him Dark Mist! We're merging, becoming one single entity!" Astral cries out mentally to Dark Mist, "If we merge completely with him in control I'll cease to exist as the person that I am. Time is running out, hurry or Dark will be the only one left." Astral's voice sounds even weaker then it did before as it fades from Dark Mist's mind.

'I have to get out of here before Dark Mist touches me with the Vibranium stone. If that happens I'll lose my control of Astral's mind and body. I won't be the last one standing.' Dark thinks to himself and looks for an escape root to get away.

Staying quiet in the shadows the other Barian Emperors watch as the events unfold, they see no need to interfere at the moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter that I have so far for this story, just an FYI for everyone

**Author's Note:**

> Dicoyua is pronounced Di-coy-au sound more like uh


End file.
